Friday, July 30, 2010 9:25 PM, MDT
Bill woke up this morning and was taken off the ventilator and is breathing fine. He was talking to us and trying to figure out where he is and everything. You can imagine what that must be like. I don't yet how long he will be at the MCR. He will probably go right from there to the rehab hospital.
Keep up the prayers as we still have a very long road to go.
Thanks to all the neighbors who have been taking such great care of our yard. I couldn't get through this with out all the support.
Keep up the prayers as we still have a very long road to go.
Thanks to all the neighbors who have been taking such great care of our yard. I couldn't get through this with out all the support.
What a difference a day makes. Bill was patiently waiting for us to come visit him. Physical therapy came for a visit and and had him up and standing with little assistance, a walker and some help from the pt's. He was almost standing to full height!! It was the best that he has done, I was very impressed. He is so ready for rehab.
Bill has to have a minor surgery to replace his dialysis catheter tomorrow. They are putting one in that will work more efficiently and be less visible.
They removed a "pik" line today and put just a regular IV in. Just less and less stuff in him it is a good thing.
We are hoping to be out of MCR on Monday and busy at rehab next week.
Bill has to have a minor surgery to replace his dialysis catheter tomorrow. They are putting one in that will work more efficiently and be less visible.
They removed a "pik" line today and put just a regular IV in. Just less and less stuff in him it is a good thing.
We are hoping to be out of MCR on Monday and busy at rehab next week.
He walked today!! He walked about 5 feet with a walker and a therapist steadying him.Then, he walked backwards to his bed, he did that twice and then he walked to his recliner. Later he walked from the chair to the bed and was standing with walker on his own. The nurse said he was stronger than last night and he was impressed. I know I am.
Bill is starting to get grouchy! He is complaining about a lot of things. The doctor says that is a good thing. I spent most of my day arguing with him about many things. I am exhausted.
He has a new catheter for dialysis, the doctors are very hopeful that the kidneys will start working in a month or two.
Tomorrow we will be headed to rehab and I think Bill will be happy about that.
Keep up the prayers I may need them now!
Bill is starting to get grouchy! He is complaining about a lot of things. The doctor says that is a good thing. I spent most of my day arguing with him about many things. I am exhausted.
He has a new catheter for dialysis, the doctors are very hopeful that the kidneys will start working in a month or two.
Tomorrow we will be headed to rehab and I think Bill will be happy about that.
Keep up the prayers I may need them now!
As I read over this journal it makes so sad. I was so positive that he would recover no matter what. Every bump in the road was one that we could get over.
The girls were anxious to see their dad. They had spent every day in Montana with him and it felt strange to not see him. My friends Faith and Jon brought us dinner that night at the hospital. It was definitely different than when we were in Montana where I had no one.
Dr. Petron came to me that morning and looked me in the eye, I was a little concerned, thinking something was wrong. Dr. Petron said to me, after giving me a good look, "good, you got some rest." I then knew for sure that Bill had a very good doctor.
When Bill was just waking up that day he was frightened. I told him that he was going to be ok, and he seemed to believe me.I knew from being in the ICU with Bill in Montana that Bill was breathing ok. I felt very educated that I could read the ventilator machine and know that he was fine.
When the surgeon was talking to Bill about the minor surgery, Bill was able to understand what was going on and told the doctor that he didn't want to have general anesthesia.The doctor agreed to only do a local. I was happy that Bill could make some of his own decisions.
When Bill stood and walked I was so happy! It was strange to see him standing up, it had been so long since I saw him standing. Also Bill's breathing was so much better after the respiratory arrest. Apparently, what ever it was that cause the arrest needed to come out for him to heal completely.
The ICU in Medical Center of the Rockies doesn't have bathrooms in the rooms. All they had was a portable toilet. Bill was very angry about that. He wanted to use a bathroom! He yelled and complained about it. Also he wanted to start eating. He had not been cleared by the speech therapist to eat. Bill didn't care about that and I had to be the one to tell him it wasn't safe for him to eat until he had gotten ok'd by the speech therapist.(I learned that speech therapy does a lot more that speech.) It was exhausting to argue with him about these things when I couldn't do anything about it. I was encouraging however that he was thinking normally.
The kidney doctors were pretty positive that his kidneys would kick in and start working and he wouldn't need dialysis anymore. I was sure of it too. Dialysis is a very long process and Bill was not the kind of person to be able to sit for long periods of time. I was worried about how he would tolerate dialysis long term. I had already been looking into other options.
While Bill was in the ICU, a young woman was admitted to the room next to his. We noticed police come with her. The next day we heard on the radio that a girl that we knew was in a bad car accident. It was very upsetting to know that someone that I knew was in critical condition next door to us. I quickly bought a small gift and had it sent to her. Eventually I spoke the young woman's mother and added her my prayers.
The staff of the ICU at MCR was wonderful. I am amazed at the caring people that I had the opportunity to meet.
When Bill was just waking up that day he was frightened. I told him that he was going to be ok, and he seemed to believe me.I knew from being in the ICU with Bill in Montana that Bill was breathing ok. I felt very educated that I could read the ventilator machine and know that he was fine.
When the surgeon was talking to Bill about the minor surgery, Bill was able to understand what was going on and told the doctor that he didn't want to have general anesthesia.The doctor agreed to only do a local. I was happy that Bill could make some of his own decisions.
When Bill stood and walked I was so happy! It was strange to see him standing up, it had been so long since I saw him standing. Also Bill's breathing was so much better after the respiratory arrest. Apparently, what ever it was that cause the arrest needed to come out for him to heal completely.
The ICU in Medical Center of the Rockies doesn't have bathrooms in the rooms. All they had was a portable toilet. Bill was very angry about that. He wanted to use a bathroom! He yelled and complained about it. Also he wanted to start eating. He had not been cleared by the speech therapist to eat. Bill didn't care about that and I had to be the one to tell him it wasn't safe for him to eat until he had gotten ok'd by the speech therapist.(I learned that speech therapy does a lot more that speech.) It was exhausting to argue with him about these things when I couldn't do anything about it. I was encouraging however that he was thinking normally.
The kidney doctors were pretty positive that his kidneys would kick in and start working and he wouldn't need dialysis anymore. I was sure of it too. Dialysis is a very long process and Bill was not the kind of person to be able to sit for long periods of time. I was worried about how he would tolerate dialysis long term. I had already been looking into other options.
While Bill was in the ICU, a young woman was admitted to the room next to his. We noticed police come with her. The next day we heard on the radio that a girl that we knew was in a bad car accident. It was very upsetting to know that someone that I knew was in critical condition next door to us. I quickly bought a small gift and had it sent to her. Eventually I spoke the young woman's mother and added her my prayers.
The staff of the ICU at MCR was wonderful. I am amazed at the caring people that I had the opportunity to meet.
